Nouis nabs Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week honor

2017-05-02T04:14:20Z2017-05-02T04:14:20Z

SFA Athletics

FRISCO, Texas (Press Release) - Following a pitching performance that saw him frustrate on one of the nation’s top lineups, Stephen F. Austin senior pitcher Erik Nouis collected the first Southland Conference Pitcher of the Week award of his career it was announced by the league office Monday afternoon.

Inserted as the ‘Jacks’ midweek starter midway through the squad’s regular season slate, the senior out of Houston, Texas, put together one of the finest outings of his career in Fort Worth, Texas, last Tuesday night. Nouis shut down one of the nation’s most powerful lineups, limiting then-No. 4-ranked TCU to just three hits through six innings of work. He racked up six strikeouts at Lupton Stadium and, backed by a four-run SFA third, helped the ‘Jacks post a 6-2 victory over Horned Frogs. The loss incurred by TCU was only the powerhouses’ fourth midweek setback in the past four years.

That win was the ‘Jacks’ first over a top-ten ranked opponent since they sunk No. 7-ranked Oklahoma State 5-4 with a two-run, walk-off single in the 10th inning back on Feb. 21, 2016. Following his high-level showing in against TCU, the senior tossed a pair of innings in relief during SFA’s Southland Conference series finale against Southeastern Louisiana Sunday afternoon. The lefty fanned another four batters during those frames to up his weekly strikeout total to 10.

In eight total frames of work last week, Nouis tossed eight inning of one-run baseball and posted an ERA of 1.12. Opponents batted just .192 off of the left-hander and only managed to score a single run. Both of Nouis’ pitching wins in 2017 have come against teams that possess an RPI of 41 or better and he succeeded in lowering his 2017 ERA from 6.55 to 5.49 over the last seven days.

Nouis joins the rest of the ‘Jacks on a journey to Thibodaux, La., this weekend for a three-game Southland Conference series at Nicholls. First pitch in the series opener Friday evening has been scheduled for 6:00 p.m. from Ray E. Didier Field and with nine games remaining in SFA's Southland Conference schedule, the 'Jacks are 4.5 games out of first place.